Tuesday, July 13, 2004

All Aboard!

It’s interesting, where a train of thought will chug off to…

Did the "neighborhood circuit" with the dog this evening. I check out what other people have growing in their yards…what works, what doesn’t. Who just planted a new lawn…who needs to. I noticed that one of the neighbors down the block, who has made a scary attempt at a perennial garden on the parkway, had planted poplars along the street. Which in five years will be large and providing plenty of shade, which our neighborhood is direly lacking.

And the train pulled out of the station…

"What do I have planted that will totally change the look of our property and the neighborhood, in five years? There are my crab trees…they’ll be pretty substantial little trees in five years.

"Five years…used to be a long time. They’ll be gone in no time… I feel so old sometimes. Now the years go by so fast.

"Like the last five years. What was I doing five years ago today? Dad was still alive…oh, no he wasn’t. He passed away in February of ’99. Oh, god, that means five years ago today SUCKED. The sisters and I were at each other’s throats…it looked like we’d never be able to be a family again…

"But we’re better now. Having my business, and having them help me with it, has mended some fences. I wonder if they appreciate that…give me any credit…

"We couldn’t stay mad at each other forever. Couldn’t. I wonder how other people do that, get totally to the end of the rope with their families and just walk away…"

From planting trees to wrestling family demons in half a block…about fifty steps. Then I had to stop and try to figure out what the girl two doors down was trying to pick off a little bush by her front door. And the roller coaster  locomotive of my thoughts screamed on into the night without me….

7 comments:

  1. That's one of the things that I like about my walks....the stream of disconnected thoughts in my head.
    It is amazing what a small bit of time really is...amazing and terrifying.  I'm happy to know that the last five years have seen you and your sisters overcome your differences.  I know it has to mean a lot to you.

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  2. Somebody stop this *train* - I want to get off. I feel like time is whizzing by at an insane pace. I'm glad that five years later your life is better. I know mine sure is.
    :-) ---Robbie

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  3. I love your train of thougths...

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  4. Moving on is what we do in this life. I too remember when 5 years seemed like an eternity now it is a drop in the bucket. I want to be in Arizonia 5 years from now we will see.

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  5. Moving on is what we do in this life. I too remember when 5 years seemed like an eternity now it is a drop in the bucket. I want to be in Arizonia 5 years from now we will see.

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  6. thought provoking entry.... thank you, judi

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  7. I measure my life lately by how old my children are.  Men look at Mandy now when we are out walking. She is a beautiful virginal sixteen. I am a motherly sort of figure, and not a MILF.
    I do know what you mean. I can't believe ten years has passed so quickly since Tabby was the baby at my breast, and now it is Shelby...

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